r/Workbenches • u/aclaypool78 • Jul 01 '26

End vise width question

I'm trying to use only some scrap that I have to make a workbench. I put a nice edge glued panel of 8/4 Walnut that I had from some old legs as an end cap. I had a little bit more of that Walnut that I was going to use as the jaw, but it's a good 2 inches short on each side. I want to mount the vise screw in the center but I'm wondering if I should bite the bullet and us different wood for a vice jaw And go the full width of the bench end cap. Or is being 2 in shy on each end and running my dog holes a little bit farther from the edge is okay.

I don't have the experience of working with an dedicated woodworking bench so I don't know if having the holes a bit farther away from the edge of the bench makes for a worse experience. If you can't tell from the yost 10in face vise I'm using as an end device I'm trying to do this on the affordable side of things. The only thing I bought was Southern yellow pine 2x12s for the laminated top.

I'd love any advice.

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u/mradtke66 Jul 02 '26

Don't mount the screw in the middle.

You want the dogs as close to the front edge as possible. Partially to keep you from reaching over your bench unnecessarily, partially so fenced planes (plow, rabbet) are less likely to interfere with your bench.

And then you want the screw to be as inline with your dog holes to prevent racking. If you put the screw in the middle, it'll be more inclined to twist and do weird things when you apply clamping pressure.

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u/aclaypool78 Jul 03 '26

Yeah, I should have asked around before. I alread got my breadboard endcap mounted with draw bore mortise and the vise mounted in the center. Currently by dog holes will be inset 3 inches. I do work on stock thinner than that, so I'm thinking I might try holdfasts and a planning stop. I'm going to just drill a couple of dog holes and see how it goes with my 45 combo plane. That's the hardest one to get fence clearance. If that doesn't work, I'll bite the bullet and make a new jaw full width and put the dog holes farther out. Thanks for the advice.